AMES, Iowa—Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with the Iowa Nutrient Research Center, and Conservation Learning Group (CLG), is hosting a free virtual field day on the challenges of improving water quality and quantity management in the karst topography of the Upper Iowa Watershed on Thursday, February 4 at 1 p.m. CST. Join us for a live discussion with Matt Frana, Upper Iowa Watershed Project Coordinator, and Winneshiek County landowners Tom and Maren Beard.

“The karst topography in NE Iowa creates some unique challenges when planning for water detention project sites. Shallow depth to bedrock, easily dissolvable bedrock, highly fractured bedrock, and sinkholes can become problematic if water is pooled above or near them,” noted Frana.

“By reviewing soils, bedrock, sinkhole, and terrain GIS map layers, high risk areas can be identified and avoided without wasting time on lengthy and costly in field investigations. If a site appears to have a moderate risk, methods like soil/bedrock boring and the use of Electrical Resistivity Imagery (ERI) can be used to determine if potentially problematic conditions exist below the surface as part of the planning process to better assure successful projects,” stated Frana.

To participate in the live virtual field day at 1:00 pm CST on February 4 to learn more about the innovative technology used for site selection, click this https://iastate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUpduihpj8iE9ZHcjpsenc2DWQILG41wg0D or visit www.iowalearningfarms.org/page/events and click “Join Live Virtual Field Day”.

Or, join from a dial-in phone line:

Dial: +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 876 9923

Meeting ID: 914 1198 4892